On one hand, Stafford's 2012 touchdown rate was worse than those of Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Blaine Gabbert. His 6.8 yards per attempt was in the bottom third among NFL quarterbacks. His mechanics and delivery have been inconsistent, leading to bouts of inaccuracy.

On the other hand, Stafford is younger than Colin Kaepernick. Stafford will be just 29 years old when his five-year, $76.5 million contract expires. He boasts arguably the most powerful arm in the NFL and holds the league record for passing yards, attempts and completions per game.

By the time his next contract rolls around, Stafford very well could join the ranks of highest-paid NFL quarterbacks.